Simple Secrets to a Happy Life~ Book Review

Is it possible to stay full of life, laughter, love, and the Lord through eight decades in this crazy world? Is that even realistic? Yes! There is hope, and Luci Swindoll is living proof.

With heart and humor, this best-selling author and beloved speaker lays out the truths that can help us all become a little more creative, organized, healthy, and happy. This is not a complex prescription for how to become superwoman. These are simple secrets, the wisdom produced by years of walking with God and living well.

We don’t need more tips for “having it all,” but we could all use insight on “having what matters,” and there is no better guide than Luci Swindoll.

Luci has spent eight decades accumulating the stories, memories, verses, and practical tips that make up Simple Secrets to a Happy Life. Whether traveling the world or building life-long friendships, singing in the opera or working for Mobil Oil, every step has taught her a little more about how to love God, love her neighbor, and love herself.

The result is both personal and universal. Organized into fifty short chapters, her reflections form a simple and profound outline for making the most of the lives God has given us.

We could all use a little more joy in our lives, which means we could all use a little more Luci. Visit her through these snapshots of wisdom. You’ll find yourself drawn back again and again.        

~I loved reading and picking up tidbits from this book. Right now I'm feeling overly stressed during the week with my new  job and then coming home to homework and dinner/chores. Reading this book made me stop and find some joy in the day. The chapters are short and sweet and to the point. I enjoyed reading Mrs. Swindoll's stories about her life and what she has learned through out her years. It's an added bonus that the cover is simply cute too!~

BookSneeze sent me this book to read/review, all opinions are my own.

Beauty for Ashes~ Book Review

So let's start of the first post of the Month with a Book review, I haven't done one in such a long time..Busy and I'm loving my new Kindle Touch but when I saw this one on BookSneeze I had to read it..nothing like an actual book smell again!

She’s a beautiful young widow. He’s a Southern gentleman with a thirst for adventure. Both need a place to call home.

After losing her husband in the Civil War, Carrie Daly is scared she will never have the family she longs for. Eligible bachelors are scarce in Hickory Ridge, Tennessee, but Carrie Daly has found love. Not the weak-in-the-knees kind, but something practical. Still, she isn't quite ready to set a wedding date with Nate Chastain.

Griff Rutledge is a former member of Charleston society, but has been estranged from his family for years. He’s determined to remain unattached, never settling in one place for too long. But when asked to train a Thoroughbred for an upcoming race in Hickory Ridge, he decides to stay awhile.

Despite objections from the townsfolk, and her fear that true happiness has eluded her, Carrie is drawn to Griff's kindness and charm. It will take a leap of faith for them to open their hearts and claim God's promise to trade beauty for ashes.

   I really enjoyed getting lost in the setting of this book, It was predictable in my opinion but easy to follow the storyline and I started to feel sorry for Carrie although at times I wanted to tell her to "Suck it Up" and deal with what life has thrown at her and look for the small Blessings in life...but that's just me. The closing was cleanly added up and ended sweetly, I liked it!

This book was given to me to read and review by BookSneeze, all opinions are my own.

Treasuring Emma~ A Book Review

Emma has put everyone else first in her life. Now at nearly 25, has she missed her chance at marriage?

Emma was Adam's first love but circumstances made them both choose different paths in life. Emma's heart breaks all over again when Adam returns to the Amish community of Middlefield, Ohio, years later.

For the past ten years, Emma has been a care-giver. First for her mother who unsuccessfully battled breast cancer, and now for her grandmother who gets more frail with each passing year. Emma has always put the needs of others above her own. With more time on her hands, she determines to focus on herself and her dream of opening a rescue shelter for stray animals in the community.

With Adam's return come feelings Emma's long buried. They're older and life hasn't turned out the way they thought it would. Adam's feelings for Emma are stronger than ever, but will he be able to convince her to put the past aside and give their love a chance?

I really enjoyed once again immersing myself in the Amish world if but for a little bit. This story was a joy to follow but it left me wondering what happened to a couple of the characters in here. I do hope that there is another book coming out that explains some of the questions I have. 

BookSneeze sent me this book to read and review and all opinions are my own.

Money Secrets of the Amish~ Book Review

Discover the money-saving and wealth-building secrets of America's thriftiest people, the Amish.

Author and journalist Lorilee Craker was just like the rest of us, feeling the pinch from the financial fallout of 2008. As a freelancer, her income was going the way of the dodo-family dollars seemed like an extinct myth, the bank account some archeological evidence of past prosperity.

Then, inspired by a news segment covering the Amish and how they emerged from the economic crisis unscathed, she realized it was time to learn a thing or two about their time-tested approach to personal finances. While the middle-class was wringing its hands over the family budget and the wealthy were weeping over their slashed portfolios, the Amish were content as always, spared from the cares of the world and worldliness. They not only had financial health to support their lives, they exuded a wholeness that eludes so many when the financial bottom drops out.

In Money Secrets of the Amish, readers go on an "Amish money makeover," learning the choices, secrets, and disciplines that safeguarded the contentment and the coffers of America's favorite plain folk by spending less, saving more, and getting happier doing it.

• Pub. Date: June 2011
• Publisher: Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
• Format: Paperback , 240pp
• Sales Rank: 75,401

• ISBN-13: 9781595553416
• ISBN: 159555341X

I read this book fairly fast due to having read and researched all this before and to me the book had nothing new to learn in it. It was a good read to brush up on saving and excited to carry on with what I'm already doing knowing that we are on the right track. I do wish that I was brave enough to try the "Barter" system but have not heard that much about it so I'm not sure how other people would react to being asked about trading.

If you are new to Coupons and Saving money than this is a good book to read and many of her ideas will be new to you!

I was given a copy of this book to read and review for BookSneeze, Opinions are my own.

A Billion Reasons Why~ A Book Review

• Pub. Date: February 2011
• Publisher: Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
• Format: Paperback , 307pp
• Sales Rank: 73,468

• ISBN-13: 9781595547910
• ISBN: 1595547916

He's a handsome billionaire. She's not impressed.
Katie McKenna has never loved any man but one: billionaire Luc DeForges. He was her first love. But there are a billion reasons why she's engaged instead to Dexter Hastings, a solid and stable man who wants the same things she does: marriage and a family but all of the things that she wants without the deep-seeded pain and fear of being abandoned that Luc brings.
Dexter and she have worked an arrangement that's akin to faith without action, love without deeds -- a dead faith. Going home to New Orleans to sing for her childhood friend's wedding, Katie must search her heart to find out if any of her reasons for being with Dexter are stronger than love. Only when Katie steps fully into faith and jumps off the cliff of life into the arms of Luc does she understand the fullness of God's grace.

I'll be honest here, I really tried to get into this book and I read the first 50 pages of every book to see if I can get into it. I had trouble from page 1.  The story line is not to my liking. The plot is okay but it seems to follow every movie that has been made in the early 90's.  Maybe that's why I couldn't really get into this book, I've seen all the movie's and have already figured out the ending. It was an okay book but not one for my "Keep" pile.

BookSneeze sent me this book to read and review, opinions are my own.

An Amish Love~ Book Review

Two of today's most popular genres--Romance and Amish fiction--together in one volume.
"Healing Hearts" by Beth Wiseman: Levina Lapp and her husband Naaman are alone for the first time in 30 years. When Naaman left to visit cousins in Ohio, Levina wasn't expecting him to be gone a year. Now that he's back, will they be able to move beyond this estrangement and fall in love again?
"What the Heart Sees" by Kathleen Fuller: A tragic accident rocks a peaceful Amish community, leaving Ellie Chupp blinded and Christopher Bender's future shattered. But they find love and forgiveness in a place they least expect.
"A Marriage of the Heart" by Kelly Long: Rachel Yoder is tired of her Amish lifestyle and her domineering father's ways. When handsome Joseph Lambert comes back from the Englisch, she lies to force a marriage of convenience, providing the perfect means to escape her father's rule. But Rachel never imagined she'd fall in love with Joseph so quickly or irrevocably.

I enjoyed reading about the simple things in life..Amish dating, cooking, cleaning, going to Church every Sunday. This was an easy story line to follow as all 3 stories connected in some way by a character or 2. In each story there was a small problem or mystery to be solved and only in the Amish way can it be solved. I think I'll always enjoy reading and learning about the Amish!

This book was given to me by BookSneeze to Review, all opinions are my own.

The Way Home~ A DVD Review

A missing child. A family in crisis. A faith tested. In their darkest hour, God gives hope.
Dean Cain stars as Randy Simpkins, a husband and father torn between the demands of his job and family. Asked by his wife to watch their two-year-old son, Joe, for a few minutes, he becomes distracted by work. When he returns, Joe is gone. He and his wife search desperately for their missing son through the vast countryside. But as their fear grows, the community responds – hundreds of supporters uniting behind the family in a powerful spiritual journey that will test the couple’s love and faith, and forever change a community.

I sat down to watch this movie with a warm blanket and a quiet house. It was a sadly sweet story that you'll have to watch for yourself cuse I won't give the ending away..lol..Check it out at the library or grab it at your local Christian store.

This DVD was provided to me for Review, opinions are my own.

Faithful~ A Book Review

Three life-long friends experience life-altering struggles. Will they find the strength to be faithful to the covenants they've made with God...and each other?
Cydney Sanders thought she knew God’s plan for her life. She’d marry, have kids, and then snap her body back into shape with Tae Bo. But she’s celebrating her fortieth birthday as the maid of honor at her little sister's wedding . . . and still single. Why would God give her this desire to marry, but no husband? And why is her life suddenly complicated by the best man—who’s the opposite of what she wants in a husband?
Cydney's best friend Dana has the perfect marriage. But when Dana discovers her husband’s affair, her world goes into a tailspin. And Phyllis is out of hope after six years of unanswered prayers for her husband to find faith. When she runs into an old friend who is the Christian man she longs for, she's faced with an overwhelming choice.
With life falling apart around them, can they trust God like never before?

I finished this book but it really didn't sit well with me. I am more of a Happy Ending/Light Hearted/No Worries type of girl and this was too....just too..ughg  I'm not sure but the affair didn't sit well with me and then it was "fixed" to fast for me. The ending was better in regards to the other couple in this book but when you start a book with an affair in the first couple of chapters, in my opinion Not a good thing.

BookSneeze provided this book to me for Review.

~Angel Song- A Book Review~

When Annie Fletcher returns to Charleston to see her younger sister, Sarah, receive her master’s degree, she finds herself riding in the back of an ambulance, watching helplessly as Sarah fights for life. During the ride, Sarah appears to talk to someone who is not there, humming a melody Annie has never heard before.
Neighbor Ethan McKinney lends a shoulder when Sarah unexpectedly dies. And as a carpenter, Ethan volunteers to help Annie get the Fletcher family home into shape for selling. Ethan’s presence is distracting, but what troubles Annie is her neighbor Tammy’s 12-year-old son. Keith has Down Syndrome and the guile to believe he can see and hear angels.
God begins to reveal Himself to Annie – both in her newfound friends and through heart-rending and clearly supernatural events. Annie discovers faith in God, finally experiencing the comfort that His angels really do surround us.

I found myself caught up in this story from chapter 1 and usually it will take me about 50 pages into a book for me to decide if I like it or not. It's a sweetly sad yet strangely uplifting read that makes you think and wonder about Angels and what's after this life. Parts of this book made me want to yell at Annie, she needs to react to situations differently.

Do you find yourself wanting to help the main character out in a book, give them advice or just yell at them...It can't just be me right?

I was provided this book by BookSneeze for review.

The Dad's Bible- A Book Review

Dad's Bible: The Father's Plan is the perfect gift for fathers, fathers-to-be, and father figures of any age. The Dad's Bible is filled with challenging and helpful information designed to encourage and uplift fathers whose lives will be a priceless legacy for generations to come. Whether as a personal purchase, a Father's Day gift, or "just because," Dad's Bible is sure to draw the reader into quality personal time with our Heavenly Father.

 I gave this Bible to Richard for Father's Day yesterday. It is a hardback Bible and the pages are easy to turn, they aren't so thin that they stick together, I like that. The Bible is full of life lessons from other dads to aide in the Father role and to help equip Dads to build children's faith and leave them a spiritual legacy. This is a great addition to our collection of Bibles.

Thomas Nelson has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy.

Never Let You Go - A Book Review

Losing everything has made Lexi hold those she loves tightly. Hell is determined to loosen her grip.

Lexi lives in the shadow of choices her husband made. Especially Grant’s choice to leave seven years ago, without a word. Her relationship with their daughter, Molly, is now the most important thing in her life. Lexi will do anything—work grueling hours, attend church on her only day off, sacrifice financially—just to see Molly smile.

When Grant shows up declaring his intent to re-enter their daughter’s life, Lexi is skeptical of his motives. She soon determines not to let him near Molly. Then a drug dealer named Warden arrives on Lexi’s doorstep, demanding payment of Grant’s old debts.

But that's just the earthly perspective. Staggering supernatural events are spilling into her world in real and shocking ways. Hell's fury is great, but Heaven's power is greater still. In a novel that defies easy categorization, this has all the early buzz of the breakthrough read of 2010.

It has taken me some time to get into this book as it's a different type of book then what I read. After I got into it  I did finish it in about 3 nights. It was an interesting plot, that's for sure! Overall it was an okay book but I'm not sure if I'll read it again so I might pass it on.

Booksneeze has sent me this book to review for free.

Plain Paradise- A Book Review

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Josephine will discover more than she bargained for as her world collides with the Plain people of Lancaster County.
Josephine Dronberger was a scared teenager when she left her baby in the care of an Old Order Amish couple. But seventeen years have passed and Josie longs to reconnect with her daughter.
Linda—as the couple named the child—is promised to Stephen Ebersol, the bishop’s grandson. They plan to marry in the fall. When her birth mother comes to Paradise, Linda is drawn to a world she’s never known. Will the direction she’s been heading since birth be suddenly derailed, and who will stand by her convictions—mother or daughter?

I read this book only to realize that I have yet to read the book before this one, Plain Promise. I was pleased to realize that you need not read these books in order to understand what is happening. I enjoyed this book since it had me guessing till the end, simply a miracle happened almost at the very last chapter and I was afraid that it wouldn't happen. Simply an enjoyable book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Story of Easter- A Book Review

From the Read and Share Bible brand, this retelling of the Easter story is explained in a way that helps young children understand the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
Based on the International Children's Bible, this story walks through the last week of Christ's life and is told in a way that teaches children about the amazing gift Jesus gave us. Events include His triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday through His appearance to the disciples and His ascension. The "Can You Retell the Story" activity at the end of the book is a fun way to hide the Word in their heart.
The animated DVD includes a 15-minutes of stories plus coloring pages and other bonus features.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I'm happy to be able to tuck this away for a surprise on Easter morning. I read it today while the kids are at school and I'm pleased with the bright colored pictures and easy to read format. It tells the story of how Easter came about very simply for children., my 11 yr old will be able to read it to her  brother and sister with ease. The DVD which was included was put together nicely and the stories were informative and easy to follow. This is one book which will be displayed every Easter from now on!

Now here is a fast question....What if any books or video's do you share on Easter?

When A Woman Trusts God - Book Review

Delivering a big message with strong biblical insights and heartening personal stories, author and Women of Faith speaker Sheila Walsh shows women the life-changing power of trusting in God.
Most Christian women live with a deep sense that they can't seem to get things right, that if only they could be a little better, life would straighten out. Through her own personal hardships, Sheila Walsh has learned that the Christian life is not about getting things right or back to "normal." She writes, "Christ comes not to get us out of our difficulties but to live in us through them." She wants to show women that God has a stunningly beautiful moment of redemption for them that leads to a lifetime of peace and joy.
In this eye-opening message for women, she presents a moving look at her own story as she dives into the lives of Bible characters, drawing out lessons from their trials that women can use immediately to establish a deep, life-altering trust in the Father.

I have not read any books by Sheila Walsh till now and I'm blessed to have read this and grown some more in my Faith. I know this book can help those struggling with Depression and ease their mind. Some parts of this book did lose me and my mind wondered to my grocery list but overall I will recommend it to others.

 This book was provided by Thomas Nelson for review.